Biomedical subjects

Anthony F Jorm

Publications and source records attributed to Anthony F Jorm.

84 records · Page 5Linked to original sources

PubMed2002

Effectiveness of complementary and self-help treatments for depression.

OBJECTIVES: To review the evidence for the effectiveness of complementary and self-help treatments for depression. DATA SOURCES: Systematic literature search using PubMed, PsycLit, the Cochrane Library and previous review papers. DATA SYNTHESIS: Thirty-seven treatments were identified and grouped under the categories of medicines, physical treatments, lifestyle, and dietary changes. We give a description of each treatment, the rationale behind the treatment, a review of studies on effectiveness, and the level of evidence for the effectiveness studies. RESULTS: The treatments with the best evidence of effectiveness are St John's wort, exercise, bibliotherapy involving cognitive behaviour therapy and light therapy (for winter depression). There is some limited evidence to support the effectiveness of acupuncture, light therapy (for non-seasonal depression), massage therapy, negative air ionisation (for winter depression), relaxation therapy, S-adenosylmethionine, folate and yoga breathing exercises. CONCLUSION: Although none of the treatments reviewed is as well supported by evidence as standard treatments such as antidepressants and cognitive behaviour therapy, many warrant further research.

Acupuncture Therapy↗

PubMed2002

Predictors of refusal to participate: a longitudinal health survey of the elderly in Australia.

BACKGROUND: The loss of participants in longitudinal studies due to non-contact, refusal or death can introduce bias into the results of such studies. The study described here examines reasons for refusal over three waves of a survey of persons aged >or=70 years. METHODS: In a longitudinal study involving three waves, participants were compared to those who refused to participate but allowed an informant to be interviewed and to those who refused any participation. RESULTS: At Wave 1 both groups of Wave 2 non-participants had reported lower occupational status and fewer years of education, had achieved lower verbal IQ scores and cognitive performance scores and experienced some distress from the interview. Those with an informant interview only were in poorer physical health than those who participated and those who refused. Depression and anxiety symptoms were not associated with non-participation. Multivariate analyses found that verbal IQ and cognitive impairment predicted refusal. Results were very similar for refusers at both Waves 2 and 3. CONCLUSIONS: Longitudinal studies of the elderly may over estimate cognitive performance because of the greater refusal rate of those with poorer performance. However, there is no evidence of bias with respect to anxiety or depression.

Activities of Daily Living↗

PubMed2002

Association of polymorphisms of the estrogen receptor gene with anxiety-related traits in children and adolescents: a longitudinal study.

Anxiety problems and associated temperamental traits are multifactorial, determined by the interaction of genetic and environmental factors. Genetic effects may involve both neurotransmitters and hormones. A good candidate gene for association with anxiety-related traits is the estrogen receptor (ESRalpha). Estrogen exerts an effect on mood and behavior in humans through gene regulation on binding to estrogen receptor protein. Association between ESRalpha polymorphism and anxiety-related traits was investigated in a cohort of 680 Australian adolescents studied from 4-8 months to 15-16 years of age. Genotype frequencies were estimated for polymorphic PvuII and XbaI restriction sites in intron 1 and a microsatellite [(TA)(n)] locus 5' of ESRalpha. There was strong linkage disequilibrium between the three loci and a significant sex difference was observed in allele (for (TA)(n), PvuII) and genotype (for XbaI) frequencies. There were no significant allelic or genotypic differences in anxiety-related traits for the three loci tested. However, some significant associations were found for PvuII/(TA)(n) and XbaI/(TA)(n) two-locus genotypes and anxiety, accounting for between 1.6% and 2.8% of the total variance for anxiety in this population. The discordance in Hardy-Weinberg proportions at the XbaI locus between the sexes is an important finding, perhaps indicating a sex-specific role for ESRalpha in fetal survival.

Adolescent↗

PubMed2002

Research priorities in mental health, Part 2: an evaluationof the current research effort against stakeholders' priorities.

OBJECTIVE: To examine the current distribution of mental health research in Australia and compare this with the priorities of various stakeholder groups. METHOD: A content analysis was carried out on a year's worth of published articles and a year's worth of competitive research grants. A questionnaire for stakeholders was developed in which respondents were asked to rate priorities for research using the same categories. Questionnaires were sent to mental health researchers,members of panels that evaluate mental health research grant applications,general practitioners, psychiatrists, clinical psychologists, mental health nurses, mental health consumer and carer advocates, and members of the National Mental Health Working Group. RESULTS: Different groups of stakeholders tended to have differing perspectives on research priorities, with some major differences between committees that evaluate research grants and consumer and carer groups. Different stakeholder groups also tended to obtain their information about research from different sources. However, there were also a number of areas of agreement. When different research topics are considered,the following tended to be under-researched: affective disorders,suicide, primary care and community settings, prevention and promotion,evaluation of services, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples,and socially and economically disadvantaged people. CONCLUSIONS: It is of concern that committees that evaluate research are guided by different values from consumers and carers in setting priorities. Nevertheless, there is consensus across stakeholder groups that a number of areas should be a high priority.

Analysis of Variance↗

PubMed2002

Research priorities in mental health, part 1: an evaluation of the current research effort against the criteria of disease burden and health system costs.

OBJECTIVE: To examine the amount of research that various mental disorders are currently receiving in Australia and compare this with the disease burden and health system costs attributable to these disorders. METHOD: A content analysis was carried out on a year's worth of published articles and a year's worth of competitive research grants. Abstracts of articles and grants were coded for a number of attributes, including the type of mental disorder covered. The percentage of articles and grant funding for various mental disorders was compared against published data on the disease burden and health system costs attributable to these disorders. RESULTS: Mental disorders contribute 19.1% of disease burden and 9.8% of health system costs, but receive only 8.9% of National Health and Medical Research Council funding. An examination of the distribution of research within the mental health area showed that substance use disorders are by far the most researched in terms of both publications and grant funding, followed by affective disorders. By contrast, affective disorders account for the most burden, followed by dementia, substance use and anxiety disorders. The biggest consumers of health system costs are dementia, affective disorders, and schizophrenia and other psychoses. CONCLUSIONS: While all mental disorders merit more research attention than they are currently receiving, affective disorders and dementia appear to be particularly under-researched given their contribution to disease burden and health system costs.

Australia↗

PubMed2002

Sexual orientation and mental health: results from a community survey of young and middle-aged adults.

BACKGROUND: Community surveys have reported a higher rate of mental health problems in combined groups of homosexual and bisexual participants, but have not separated these two groups. AIMS: To assess separately the mental health of homosexual and bisexual groups compared with heterosexuals. METHOD: A community survey of 4824 adults was carried out in Canberra, Australia. Measures covered anxiety, depression, suicidality, alcohol misuse, positive and negative affect and a range of risk factors for poorer mental health. RESULTS: The bisexual group was highest on measures of anxiety, depression and negative affect, with the homosexual group falling between the other two groups. Both the bisexual and homosexual groups were high on suicidality. Bisexuals also had more current adverse life events, greater childhood adversity, less positive support from family, more negative support from friends and a higher frequency of financial problems. Homosexuals reported greater childhood adversity and less positive support from family. CONCLUSIONS: The bisexual group had the worst mental health, although homosexual participants also tended to report more distress.

Adult↗

PubMed2002

Change in cognitive functioning associated with apoE genotype in a community sample of older adults.

The influence of a genetic risk factor, apolipoprotein E (apoE) epsilon4 variant, was assessed in older adults aged 70 to 94 on 3 occasions over 7 years. The results of latent growth curve analyses are reported for individuals genotyped for apoE at the 2nd measurement occasion (n = 601) and for a subsample of individuals without probable or definite dementia during the 1st or 2nd occasion (n = 434). ApoE-epsilon4 status was a significant predictor of level and change in memory performance and change in speed performance in the full sample, and of initial level and change in memory performance in the nondemented subsample. These results support previous findings that apoE-epsilon4 is associated with accelerated memory deterioration in individuals without clinical dementia.

Aged↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Projections of future numbers of dementia cases in Australia with and without prevention.

OBJECTIVE: To produce projections of the number of dementia cases in Australia from 2000 to 2050. These projections examine the effects of an ageing population on number of dementia cases and also the potential impact of preventive strategies that delay age of dementia onset. METHOD: Data from several meta-analyses of dementia prevalence and incidence were combined with age-specific population projections to arrive at estimates of future numbers of cases. A statistical model of dementia incidence was developed and used to estimate the effects of delaying onset by up to 5 years. RESULTS: Without prevention, prevalence of dementia is estimated to increase from 172 000 in 2000 to 588 000 in 2050. Over the same period, the incidence of dementia is estimated to increase from 43 000 to 143 000 new cases a year. Delaying onset by 5 years would decrease prevalence in 2050 by 44%. Even a 6-month delay would reduce prevalence by 6%. CONCLUSIONS: Ageing of the population will lead to a rapid increase in number of dementia cases and an increasing burden for the working-age population. However, even modest prevention efforts could lessen the impact.

Age Factors↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Apolipoprotein E genotype and temperament: a longitudinal study from infancy to the late teens.

OBJECTIVE: To replicate an earlier Finnish study by Keltikangas-Järvinen et al. (5) reporting that the APOE genotype is associated with temperamental traits involving increased activity. METHODS: DNA was collected from 683 Australian children who had participated in a longitudinal study of childhood temperament from 4 to 8 months up to 17 to 18 years. Associations were examined between APOE genotype and a range of measures of activity and hyperactivity. RESULTS: No associations were found. CONCLUSIONS: The earlier Finnish finding could not be replicated despite adequate statistical power.

Adolescent↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Weekly alcohol consumption, brain atrophy, and white matter hyperintensities in a community-based sample aged 60 to 64 years.

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to determine the association between weekly alcohol consumption and brain atrophy in adults aged 60 to 64 years. METHODS: Brain magnetic resonance imaging scans from 385 adults recruited through a community survey were analyzed. Automated segmentation and manual tracing methods were used to obtain brain subvolumes and automated methods were used to obtain quantification and localization of white matter hyperintensities. Visual measures of cortical atrophy were obtained as were data on health and lifestyle factors. Alcohol consumption was assessed with the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test. RESULTS: In men, weekly alcohol consumption had a positive linear association with ventricular volume and gray matter and a negative linear association with white matter. In women, weekly alcohol consumption had a nonlinear relationship with cerebrospinal fluid and white matter. Alcohol consumption was not associated with white matter hyperintensities, corpus callosum size, hippocampal or amygdala volumes in analyses adjusting for confounding variables. CONCLUSION: An association between alcohol consumption and brain atrophy is evident at the population level. In women, detrimental effects of alcohol on the brain appear to occur at lower levels of consumption. It remains possible that low levels of alcohol consumption have neuroprotective benefits but is clear that high levels of consumption are detrimental.

Alcohol Drinking↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Association of pulmonary function with cognitive performance in early, middle and late adulthood.

BACKGROUND: Pulmonary function has been associated with some measures of cognitive performance, mostly in late adulthood. This study investigated whether this association is present for a range of cognitive measures, at three stages of adulthood, and whether it remains after controlling for demographic, health and lifestyle factors. METHOD: The relationship between forced expiratory volume at 1 s (FEV1), a measure of pulmonary function, and cognitive test performance was examined in three cohorts aged 20-24, 40-44 and 60-64. RESULTS: After controlling for demographic variables, smoking, physical activity, and respiratory disease, significant associations between FEV1 and cognitive test performance were evident in each age group for most cognitive measures. The association between FEV1 and measures of speed increased with age. CONCLUSION: FEV1 has a small but reliable positive association with cognitive test performance throughout adulthood, possibly reflecting a common physiological factor.

Adult↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Pet ownership and health in older adults: findings from a survey of 2,551 community-based Australians aged 60-64.

BACKGROUND: It is commonly assumed that owning a pet provides older residents in the community with health benefits including improved physical health and psychological well-being. It has also been reported that pet owners are lower on neuroticism and higher on extraversion compared with those without pets. However, findings of research on this topic have been mixed with a number of researchers reporting that, for older people, there is little or no health benefit associated with pet ownership. OBJECTIVE: To identify health benefits associated with pet ownership and pet caring responsibilities in a large sample of older community-based residents. METHODS: Using survey information provided by 2,551 individuals aged between 60 and 64 years, we compared the sociodemographic attributes, mental and physical health measures, and personality traits of pet owners and non-owners. For 78.8% of these participants, we were also able to compare the health services used, based on information obtained from the national insurer on the number of general practitioner (GP) visits they made over a 12-month period. RESULTS: Compared with non-owners, those with pets reported more depressive symptoms while female pet owners who were married also had poorer physical health. We found that caring for a pet was associated with negative health outcomes including more symptoms of depression, poorer physical health and higher rates of use of pain relief medication. No relationship was found between pet ownership and use of GP services. When we examined the personality traits of pet owners and carers, we found that men who cared for pets had higher extraversion scores. Our principal and unexpected finding, however, was that pet owners and carers reported higher levels of psychoticism as measured by the Revised Eysenck Personality Questionnaire. CONCLUSIONS: We conclude that pet ownership confers no health benefits for this age group. Instead, those with pets have poorer mental and physical health and use more pain relief medication. Further, our study suggests that those with pets are less conforming to social norms as indicated by their higher levels of psychoticism.

Animals↗